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Duncan started in all 82 regular-season games in his first season. Everyone was lauding his performances and toughness, including his coach and peers.
Duncan proved to be the key player in both seasons’ campaigns, winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year on both occasions.
San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan, right, hugs Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich during Duncan’s jersey retirement ceremony, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, in San Antonio. If you asked me what’s the vision I have in my head of Tim Duncan, it’s him kind of patting a teammate on the head kind of lovingly walking off the court after a timeout,” Babby said. “You’ve probably seen him do that a million times. To me, that captures everything about him.” I remember turning to him and saying, ‘Well, listen. I’m 40. You’re 22. And you’re teaching me lessons about teamwork and leadership.’ He was just always willing to sublimate his own ego for the betterment of his teammates.” Duncan was selected in the 1997 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He paired with David Robinson, popularly known as “Twin Towers.” Earning good impressions from the beginning, Duncan was voted to the 1998 NBA All-Star Game by coaches.
He's just a tremendous guy, the best power forward that ever played the game. Probably, if you talk to anyone that knows him, he's probably the most low-maintenance superstar that ever played the game; just a tremendous guy, a great person. This couldn't come or happen to a better guy," said Gentry. "There was no reason to wait. It's not like they were going to decide somewhere along the line his number was going to be retired. It was going to happen. So I think it's great that they're doing it early and doing it right now before he's even a year out of the league." Marc Blucas (center), a longtime friend of Tim Duncan’s, shares a laugh with he and Grant Hill in 2014.Duncan played one of his worst playoff games in 2008 against the New Orleans Hornets. With their captain recording only 5 points and three rebounds, the Spurs were defeated 101-82. The same season Spurs lost the NBA championship to Los Angeles Lakers. Duncan has been at several Spurs practices this season, and worked out on the court with newcomer forward/center Pau Gasol on Monday. But considering the knee pain “The Big Fundamental” endured during his career, no major miracle return is expected. During his final NBA season last year, at age 39, Duncan averaged career-lows of 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds and struggled in the postseason. Eventually, in the 2002-2003 season, they won it with an 88-77 defeat against the New Jersey Nets in Game 6. Duncan almost recorded a quadruple double to be the NBA Finals MVP in the game. The Spurs’ Leader
The five-time NBA Champion was NBA Finals MVP three times. He was the ACC Male Athlete of the Year and was honored by the House of Representatives in his college days. CARING: Popovich lost his top two assistants in the summer of 2019 when Ime Udoka (currently a Brooklyn Nets assistant) joined the staff of the Philadelphia 76ers, while lead assistant Ettore Messina returned to Italy with Olimpia Milano. So since I have the opportunity now, thank you, Timmy. Thank you very much for all these years. Thank you for the four rings I have in my home because of you. Thank you for making me better, and everybody that ever played with you." Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich combined to win five championships together during the lifelong Spur's 19 seasons in the NBA. Said Duncan on Sunday night: "Thank you, Coach Pop, for being more than a coach -- for being more like a father to me." AP Photo/Darren Abate Duncan became the eighth Spur in franchise history to have his jersey retired, joining a group that includes George Gervin (44), David Robinson (50), Sean Elliott (32), James Silas (13), Avery Johnson (6), Bruce Bowen (12) and Johnny Moore (00). It’s all a combination of a competitiveness on my own part, a love for playing the game, hating losing and an organization committed to putting the best things in place to give a city, a team, a player like myself an opportunity to win year in and year out,” Duncan said.
College Career
He invited me to dinner, and we talked for hours about computers, cars, TV shows, whatever," Ginobili said. "My mental state shifted, and I had a way better night than it would have been otherwise. Those are the types of gestures that I'm pretty sure that you can go and ask most of his teammates around, and they all saw it. A banner bearing Tim Duncan's name and No. 21 jersey was unveiled in the rafters of the AT&T Center on Sunday to cap a ceremony befitting one of the greatest to ever play basketball. I don't know how many accolades you could ever put up on this guy," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. He's the only teammate that never asked me or talked to me to get the ball," Parker joked. "He just looked at me. And when you're 19 years old coming from France, that's very scary when he looks at you. He doesn't have to talk to you. Most of the guys [are like], 'Hey, Tony, I'm open.' But Timmy just looked at me. I'd be like, 'Hey, Pop, Timmy looked at me. We should run a play.' Pop would be like, 'He really looked at you?' I was like, 'Yeah, so we should run a play. If you want me to be the point guard tomorrow, [let's] pass him the ball right now.'" Then, there’s the day-to-day Duncan at the team’s training facility, his leadership through deeds, not words.
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